One of the oldest medicinal plants used by people, anise (Pimpinella anisum) is a powerhouse of therapeutic uses.
Belonging to the Apiaceae family, it turns out that anise is not only a pretty face in the garden, but versatile in its herbal benefits too.
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Many know this superstar herb is handy in the kitchen thanks to its licorice-like taste when added to foods, but it has more to offer us beyond its aromatic flavor.
Commonly known as anise seed but often confused with star anise (Illicium verum) and anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), it has been used for centuries and is known for its amazing health-promoting properties.
P. anisum has earned its reputation for helping a wide array of ailments.
Let us dive in to discover some interesting facts about this herb, and maybe you’ll find ways you would like to use it at home to assist with your medicinal needs.
Anise Cultivation and Historical Medicinal UseAnise is said to be native to western Asia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean region. It was first cultivated in Egypt and later in Greece, the Middle East, and Rome.
Today, anise is grown at home and cultivated for commercial sale worldwide in places such as southern Europe, the Middle East, southern Russia, Africa, China, Chile, Mexico, India, Pakistan, and in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 11 in the United States.
In the first century BCE, the Roman Empire played its part in making the trade of this herb possible by constructing a center for trade in Alexandria, Egypt that regulated all of the spices that arrived in the Greco-Roman region.
This trade included a network of land and sea routes
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